The news was announced at a meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall on Monday (Oct 28), led by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat, joined by new Phuket Vice Governor Ronnarong Tipsiri.
Joining the meeting were Urban-Act Project Director Heinrich Gudenus along with Anchalee Tanwanich, Urban Planning Advisor from the Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, and Monthathai Rattanapong, Director of the International Affairs Division at the Ministry of Interior.
Additional representatives from the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and other network partners joined to share insights and suggestions for the project’s success in its three pilot areas: Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and Phuket.
The Urban-Act initiative, running from April 2022 to December 2027, is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI), explained an official report of the meeting.
The project’s goal is to support Thailand’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting sustainable urban development strategies that reduce carbon emissions and enhance resilience to climate impacts, the report added.
Primary agencies spearheading the initiative include Thailand’s Ministry of Interior, Department of Public Works and Town & Country Planning, Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, and the Meteorological Department, in collaboration with international partners such as GIZ and German universities.
Phuket’s role as a pilot province marked a significant step toward creating adaptable, eco-friendly cities that can serve as models for other regions, supporting Thailand’s climate goals and advancing global climate objectives, the report noted.
The Ministry of the Interior and GIZ Thailand signed the Implementation Agreement to advance the Integrated Urban Climate Action for Low-Carbon & Resilient Cities (Urban-Act) project in Thailand at an event in Bangkok in September.
The ceremony was joined by representatives of the German Embassy Bangkok, the Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning (DPT), the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning (OTP), the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP), and the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), as the project implementing partners in Thailand, as well as the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Asia-Pacific Regional Organization for Local Government (UCLG ASPAC), the regional project partners, along with representatives from the MOI, government agencies and academia.
At that event, Urban-Act Project Director Mr Gudenus said, “We are very honoured that in Thailand we will be partnering with the OPSI. And with MOI we feel we have a strong and influential partner with mandates spanning national and subnational administration, addressing vertical integration, SDG localisation and multi-level climate action, which are all very important topics.
“We will address the enabling conditions for urban climate action at the national level and also support mainstreaming of climate change considerations into urban development at the local level in selected cities.
“With Chiang Mai, Phuket and Khon Kaen as pilot areas and through the IMT-GT (the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle) also engaging additional cities such as Hat Yai and Nakhon Sri Thammarat we will support on one hand the development of climate-sensitive spatial or urban development plans and on the other hand, the identification of concrete and viable project concepts with good chances for being financing and implemented.
“Partnerships and collaboration are as central to our approach with Urban-Act as the provision of accurate and deep technical knowledge that is of course also required to solve our joint challenges,” Mr Gudenus added.
Chamnanwit Terat, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Interior, noted, “Thailand is highly vulnerable to the impacts of global climate change. As a result, the Sustainable Development Goals play a crucial role in the mission of related sectors to develop cities, promote sustainable living, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and adapt to climate change. These efforts are in alignment with SDGs 9, 11, and 13. GIZ has recognised the significance of these issues and has initiated a project to urgently address them by developing holistic urban solutions to promote low-carbon growth and enhance urban resilience.
“The Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior is fully committed to supporting and collaborating on this initiative to address critical challenges and achieve sustainable development. MOI has a direct mission to ‘alleviate suffering and promote happiness’ for the people. Undeniably, climate change has become a significant factor that impacts urban operations and the well-being of the people.
“Therefore, driving urban development operations that align with climate resilience necessitates collaboration from all pertinent sectors. I am confident that this collaborative effort will yield significant success and be another source of pride in driving integrated urban operations among our network partners.”
Johannes Kerner, Counsellor for Economic Affairs, German Embassy Bangkok, expressed his support for the project, stating, “Cities are pivotal to achieving our climate and sustainability targets. Sustainable and climate-sensitive urban transitions offer benefits for our societies, ecosystems and economies, and can reduce vulnerabilities for low-income communities.
“This means we need engaged cities for bold climate action. But cities cannot do it alone. Germany recognises the importance of cities as well as the collaboration across government levels for achieving our global climate and sustainable development targets. We are therefore a proud initiator and donor for the regional Urban-Act project through the International Climate Initiative (IKI),” he added.